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California State University, Fullerton

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Welcome, prospective Titans!

Cal State Fullerton's Department of Theatre & Dance offers multiple pathways for student success in theatre, including:

  • Acting BFA concentration (BFA Theatre)
    The CSUF Acting BFA concentration prepares students for a professional career in theatre in plays, musicals, television, and film. The program seeks students who exhibit talent, motivation, and commitment, and combines rigorous coursework with ample opportunity to apply the training in performance throughout their four years. Fourth-year students prepare websites, build reels, and meet casting directors and agents in Los Angeles and New York in preparation for an effective transition from college to a professional career in theatre, television, and film. Audition required.

  • Devised Performance and Physical Theatre BFA concentration (BFA Theatre)
    One of the first of its kind in the United States, the CSUF Devised Performance/Physical Theatre BFA concentration prepares an emerging performing artist for the creative and professional challenges of the 21st century. While extensive voice/movement training provides the foundation for this 4-year degree path, our Devised Performance/Physical Theatre students also study acting, directing, playwriting, stage combat, and design techniques. Students take on new works, develop original content, or adapt scripted material. Interdisciplinary collaborations integrate soundscapes, original compositions, live music, video, motion capture, podcasts, voiceovers, projections, graphic design, puppetry, or trapeze into coursework and productions. Global partnerships offer the potential for international performance opportunities. Site-specific performances, capstone projects, community outreach, and preparation to enter the industry round out this innovative performance training. Audition required.

  • Musical Theatre BFA concentration (BFA Theatre)
    The CSUF Musical Theatre BFA concentration has been newly redesigned to meet the needs of students in the rapidly changing 21st-century entertainment industry. The Musical Theatre program offers a rigorous, 4-year, conservatory-style training model with a well-balanced curriculum of acting (for both contemporary stage and camera), singing (including foundational music skills and 8 semesters of private voice), and dancing/movement (celebrating all levels of skill and diversity of styles ranging from ballet, jazz, tap, modern, musical theatre, hip hop, and more). Fourth-year students can expect to travel to NYC for a capstone showcase performance, as well as industry workshops with Broadway talent, and industry professionals including casting directors and agents. Audition required.

  • Theatre BA 
    The Theatre BA degree is a "choose your own adventure" buffet-style training model centered on electives that can include acting, musical theatre, dance, voice & movement, stage management, design, dramaturgy, playwriting, directing, theatre education, theatrical make-up/hair, technical theatre, and more – all based on the interest(s) of the student. BA students are encouraged to audition and/or participate in all campus productions. No audition required. Theatre BA candidates need only submit a University application (and do not need to use the Accept'd platform).
NOTE: Cal State Fullerton also offers degrees in Dance, Vocal Performance, Music, Visual Arts, Film/Television Production, and so much more. Check out the CSUF website for more information.


Why CSUF?
There are many fantastic reasons, but here are a few highlights...

Location: 26 miles outside of Los Angeles. Commutable to countless professional theatres and the mecca of the film/television industry. Average temperature of 70 degrees in the winter (85 degrees in the summer). 15 minutes from Disneyland. 30 mins from the beach. 2 hours from the desert, the mountains, or the Mexico border. Southern California has it all!

Campus: Fullerton is the largest CSU campus with over 42,000 students. Robust and nationally recognized sports teams, if you're into that, with an adorable elephant mascot, Tuffy the Titan! State-of-the-art fitness center, student union, and recreation center. 26-acre Fullerton Arboretum, our very own nature's oasis!

Performing Arts Center: An original 1964 campus design, with an attached state-of-the-art modern theatre complex (circa 2006), boasting six performance venues including a proscenium stage, a 3/4 thrust, two black box theatres, and two concert halls. Theatre classrooms, dance studios, a television studio, and individual practice spaces also support the performing arts students' learning experience. 

Productions: The Department of Theatre and Dance supports eight mainstage productions per season, at least four "Studio Series" (smaller) productions, in addition to recitals, student-run showcases, improv performances, and other class projects, offering ample performance opportunities throughout the year.

Faculty:  Study with award-winning Broadway, off-Broadway, national tour, television and film actors, directors, playwrights, and more with an average 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Alumni: CSUF Theatre alumni have gone on to all varieties of jobs within the entertainment industry ranging from Broadway and film/TV actors, casting directors, film editors, theatre/film/tv technicians, professional directors, educators, and so much more. At CSUF, we foster and celebrate all of these diverse career paths.

Cost: California residents will enjoy less than $30,000 in tuition for all four years of world-class theatre training at CSUF (less than $4,000 per semester). Non-California residents may expect to spend under $80,000 in tuition for all four years (less than $10,000 per semester). The CSU system is also friendly toward transfer students, particularly those from California Community Colleges. 

Join us for Fall 2023!
Start your Accept'd application today.
CSUF University Applications open on Oct. 1, 2022.
Application Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022